Road Rage

[IanForbes]

hahahaha - thanks for removing all logic from this discussion

The logic is simple really. Farangs that can't integrate and drive per the established standards, tend to drive in a chaotic and spastic fashion. As this is contrary from the norm and highly unexpected, it tends to catch others off guard and cause accidents. If they would just relax a bit and go with the flow, they would be much better off.

I'm not saying let down your guard completely or stop driving defensively. I'm saying that every time the car in front of you taps his breaks, you don't need to either slam on your breaks and/or swerve across multiple lanes. Learn to anticipate this, stop following so dam_n close, and relax/ stop spazzing out. Its exactly this over-reactive, spastic behavior of other farangs that have led to ALL of my near misses.

And yes, I have taken my own advise and learned to anticipate other farangs driving like retarded crack babies. I tend to give them a wide berth now, when I see them on the road.

-Mestizo

How do you know they are farangs, Mestizo? I'm too busy watching everything at the same time and don't have time to determine the sex or the nationality of the other driver. I was only half kidding about riding like a Thai, but there is something to be said for knowing how the Thais ride and think. I EXPECT someone is going to jump a light before it turns green. And, am totally confident that there will ALWAYS be someone running a red light long after the lights have changed. The ONLY thing I fear is approaching a stale green light... meaning a light that has been green for a short while. I REALLY don't want to be going through that intersection when some Thai is trying to make the light or some impatient rider is planning on jumping the light. I EXPECT the unusual so I am never surprised.

I will grant you that foreigners are often the cause of accidents because they EXPECT other drivers to follow common practises in their OWN countries.

[PlanetX]

hahahaha - thanks for removing all logic from this discussion

The logic is simple really. Farangs that can't integrate and drive per the established standards, tend to drive in a chaotic and spastic fashion. As this is contrary from the norm and highly unexpected, it tends to catch others off guard and cause accidents. If they would just relax a bit and go with the flow, they would be much better off.

I'm not saying let down your guard completely or stop driving defensively. I'm saying that every time the car in front of you taps his breaks, you don't need to either slam on your breaks and/or swerve across multiple lanes. Learn to anticipate this, stop following so dam_n close, and relax/ stop spazzing out. Its exactly this over-reactive, spastic behavior of other farangs that have led to ALL of my near misses.

And yes, I have taken my own advise and learned to anticipate other farangs driving like retarded crack babies. I tend to give them a wide berth now, when I see them on the road.

-Mestizo

So its the farangs that make driving in Thailand dangerous

Ok

I would assume it has more to do with the lack of driver training, rule enforcement, driver courtesy and value of life

Edited February 20, 2011 by PlanetX

[uptheos]

hahahaha - thanks for removing all logic from this discussion

The logic is simple really. Farangs that can't integrate and drive per the established standards, tend to drive in a chaotic and spastic fashion. As this is contrary from the norm and highly unexpected, it tends to catch others off guard and cause accidents. If they would just relax a bit and go with the flow, they would be much better off.

I'm not saying let down your guard completely or stop driving defensively. I'm saying that every time the car in front of you taps his breaks, you don't need to either slam on your breaks and/or swerve across multiple lanes. Learn to anticipate this, stop following so dam_n close, and relax/ stop spazzing out. Its exactly this over-reactive, spastic behavior of other farangs that have led to ALL of my near misses.

And yes, I have taken my own advise and learned to anticipate other farangs driving like retarded crack babies. I tend to give them a wide berth now, when I see them on the road.

-Mestizo

So its the farangs that make driving in Thailand dangerous

Ok

I would assume it has more to do with the lack of driver training, rule enforcement, driver courtesy and value of life

Of course!

Didn't you know that there are almost 65 million ex pats living here and only about 400,000 Thai's, that's about 160+ farang's to every Thai

It stands to reason that the majority of bad drivers would be farang's.

[LJW]

I think you guys might be too emotional when driving, which makes you a big danger to those of us driving sanely

Well said. Every single near miss that I have had so far, has always been with farang drivers. Some of you need to learn to relax and go with the flow.

-Mestizo

I never pay attention to the driver- only the car

But when I see a farang on a bike, I give him or her plenty of distance and priviledge to do whatever. :jap:

[el jefe]

I think you guys might be too emotional when driving, which makes you a big danger to those of us driving sanely

Well said. Every single near miss that I have had so far, has always been with farang drivers. Some of you need to learn to relax and go with the flow.

-Mestizo

I never pay attention to the driver- only the car

But when I see a farang on a bike, I give him or her plenty of distance and priviledge to do whatever. :jap:

I gotta agree with Mestizo on this one and, obviously, with LJW too. I've ridden a bicycle in 60+ countries and Thailand is certainly one of the safest and most pleasant places to ride. Riding a bike translates well to riding a motorcycle here. Once you learn the common practices, you'll be fine. because of the silly system here where each side goes one at a time at a traffic light at a 4-way intersection, expect people to blow thru the red or jump it. Motorcycles are going to pull out from small sois onto main roads without looking. They'll also ride on the wrong side of the road. Until you expect and accept that, you're the dangerous one. Put most farang drivers in a situation that they didn't experience in their home country and there's no telling what s/he might do.

[LJW]

I think you guys might be too emotional when driving, which makes you a big danger to those of us driving sanely

Well said. Every single near miss that I have had so far, has always been with farang drivers. Some of you need to learn to relax and go with the flow.

-Mestizo

I never pay attention to the driver- only the car

But when I see a farang on a bike, I give him or her plenty of distance and priviledge to do whatever. :jap:

I gotta agree with Mestizo on this one and, obviously, with LJW too. I've ridden a bicycle in 60+ countries and Thailand is certainly one of the safest and most pleasant places to ride. Riding a bike translates well to riding a motorcycle here. Once you learn the common practices, you'll be fine. because of the silly system here where each side goes one at a time at a traffic light at a 4-way intersection, expect people to blow thru the red or jump it. Motorcycles are going to pull out from small sois onto main roads without looking. They'll also ride on the wrong side of the road. Until you expect and accept that, you're the dangerous one. Put most farang drivers in a situation that they didn't experience in their home country and there's no telling what s/he might do.

I am always aware of what is going on around me, but nothing surprises, or shocks me anymore. I think most Thai drives are very careful drivers because I see it a lot. They may be driving down the wrong side of the road, but they seem to drive okay, so I just keep an eye out for them. No need for even a comment to my passenger about it...

And I consider myself a fast and assertive driver- not aggressive at all. To me, of course

If I can be aware of my circular safety area, I'm feeling fine

Edited February 20, 2011 by LJW

[tfc]

Generally I find the level of awareness that drivers in Thailand have is much higher than back in my home city Melbourne, Australia. There's no comparison really. I've often commented before even coming over here that drivers in Melbourne seem almost asleep at the wheel with their level of awareness.

[Mario2008]

1 post deleted as off topic.